Many passenger vehicles now incorporate an integrated communication system, such as a Mobile Vehicle Communication Units (MVCU), providing a variety of fee-based subscription services in a mobile environment including navigational assistance. The MVCU is typically a vehicle telematics device including a cellular radio, satellite transceiver, and/or global positioning capabilities. Typically, a radio communication link is established between the MVCU and a call center through a Wide Area Network (WAN), using a node of the WAN in the vicinity of the MVCU.
Off-board navigation is a means of providing turn-by-turn directions with a navigation device that obtains a route from a remote source (i.e., transmitted to the MVCU from the call center via the WAN). Currently, users of navigation devices who seek directions to a destination request the information individually from a service provider, navigation system, web site, etc. In certain instances, multiple users traveling in separate vehicles wish to travel as a travel group along a route. As such, each member of the travel group seeking directions must individually receive off-board navigational instructions for the route.
In certain instances, members of a travel group do not have a route established. Rather, the group members wish to keep track of each others progress. This would be extremely useful should there be any change in plans, weather conditions, or other updates, during their travels. As such, it would be desirable to provide a strategy for keeping track of group member's progress.
It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a strategy for linking vehicle navigations, and to overcome the deficiencies and obstacles described above.